The Effects of Recreational Marijuana Dispensaries on Local Opioid Mortality

This study examines how recreational marijuana dispensaries in Colorado affect opioid mortality at the county level. Using a difference-in-difference model with county and year fixed effects, I estimate the impact of recreational marijuana dispensary access on fatal opioid overdoses. Additionally, I employ distance from a major roadway and border as two instrumental variables to help limit the endogeneity associated with the location of dispensaries. Previous studies have shown that medical and recreational marijuana dispensary access decreases opioid mortality at the state level. Still, no study has explored the connection between recreational marijuana dispensaries and overdoses at the county level. Using data from the CDC, Colorado Department of Revenue, US Census, and other sources, I found that under some specifications, one additional dispensary is associated with a 0.0668 to 0.0747 unit decrease in opioid mortality. However, this result was not robust under every specification. Given the worsening opioid crisis in the United States, research into alternate methods of reducing opioid mortality is critical

Apocalypse Across Contexts: Reactions to Sudden, Unwanted, and Comprehensive Change

For much of human history, people have maintained a fascination with the end of the world. The apocalypse refers to the final moment in human history, with apocalyptic thought focusing on questions of how and when this will occur. The apocalypse is among the most durable transhistorical phenomena, adapting to changes in technology, social structure, and theology. Apocalyptic thought often arises from conditions of “relative deprivation,” where subjugated members of society envision the apocalypse as deliverance from their present hardship. The Biblical works of Daniel and Revelation, among other notable apocalypses, fueled the anxieties and imaginations of Europeans during the Renaissance and Reformation. The Second Great Awakening revamped the prevalence of an imminent end and led to the rise of Adventism in the United States. The twentieth century saw the continued development of apocalyptic thought, with new religious movements, environmental concerns, and Y2K continuing a multi-millennia history of apocalyptic expectations. This thesis will examine the roots of apocalyptic thought and literature, examine the role religion played in its development, and how religion has modified eschatology to meet new societal concerns. It will comment on the broader idea of the world ending, hopefully capturing why it has fascinated and frightened humanity for so long

The Effects of Recreational Marijuana Dispensaries on Local Opioid Mortality

This study examines how recreational marijuana dispensaries in Colorado affect opioid mortality at the county level. Using a difference-in-difference model with county and year fixed effects, I estimate the impact of recreational marijuana dispensary access on fatal opioid overdoses. Additionally, I employ distance from a major roadway and border as two instrumental variables to help limit the endogeneity associated with the location of dispensaries. Previous studies have shown that medical and recreational marijuana dispensary access decreases opioid mortality at the state level. Still, no study has explored the connection between recreational marijuana dispensaries and overdoses at the county level. Using data from the CDC, Colorado Department of Revenue, US Census, and other sources, I found that under some specifications, a higher number of dispensaries is associated with an approximately 6% decline in opioid mortality. However, this result was not robust under every specification. Given the worsening opioid crisis in the United States and the failure of the war on drugs, research into alternate methods of reducing opioid mortality is critical

Rhetoric of plagiarism: Problems, opportunities, and interactions

This thesis explores the question of how James Madison University (JMU) communicates information concerning plagiarism policy and values to students, especially first-year composition students. The research covers some history of plagiarism issues, questions of why plagiarism is so difficult for scholars to define, why students plagiarize, and how attitudes in academia are changing as definitions continue to evolve. Overall, JMU communicates plagiarism poorly to students in their early stages of integrating into life at JMU, though the university still takes pains to inform students of the consequences of plagiarism through first-year composition instructors. The implications of this writing are an attempt to offer another view of JMU’s plagiarism policies and to hopefully inspire action to better communicate these policies to students

The iris – a window into the genetics of common and rare eye diseases

Visual examination, without instruments, of the eye allows inspection of the iris, sclera, cornea and, through the iris, some abnormalities of the lens and retina. Several hereditary disorders can easily be recognised by characteristic iris changes. This review discusses changes in the iris, visible lens anomalies, and changes in the cornea surrounding the iris. A genetic diagnosis can help with management of diseases. Some conditions are single gene disorders, some are chromosomal rearrangements, and some are abnormalities of fetal development